Defying Expectations
by Asha'revas
Summary: "Or perhaps in Slytherin, you'll make your real friends. Those cunning folk use any means to achieve their ends." In which a girl is determined to change things.
1. Chapter 1

Sylvi gave a pleased smile when she saw the letter held in the beak of an owl, depicting the Hogwart's crest. She gently pried the letter from its beak and then fished out a treat from the jar by the window and gave it to the animal. The owl having been taken care of, she broke the wax seal on the letter and began to read the contents.

 _HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

 _Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

 _(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

 _Dear Ms. Forstrom,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

 _Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

 _Deputy Headmistress_

 _HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

 _UNIFORM_

 _First-year students will require:_

 _1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black_

 _2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

 _3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

 _4\. One winter cloak (black, wither silver fastenings)_

 _Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags._

 _COURSE BOOKS_

 _All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

 _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk_

 _A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot_

 _Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling_

 _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch_

 _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore_

 _Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger_

 _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander_

 _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble_

 _OTHER EQUIPMENT_

 _1 wand_

 _1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

 _1 set glass or crystal phials_

 _1 telescope_

 _1 set brass scales_

 _Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad._

 _PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS_

 _ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK_

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus_

 _Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions_

She felt a jolt of excitement go through her, a genuine smile lighting her face. She had heard so much about Hogwarts that she had always wanted to go. Her parents had gone to Durmstrang, but her grandmother Forstrom had gone to Hogwarts and she often reminisced of her old school days.

Sylvi glanced up from the letter to see her mother walking into the sitting room with a pile of books in her arms. Elise Forstrom's blonde hair was braided into a plait that fell down her back, presumably to keep her hair out of her eyes. Her blue eyes glanced at her daughter as she placed the books on a nearby table and began putting them back onto their respective shelves on the mahogany bookcase. They had house-elves and servants to do these kinds of tasks, but her mother always liked to do them herself. "I find it a meditative task," was the answer Sylvi received when she asked why.

She waited patiently for her mother to finish and was rewarded when her mother dusted off her hands and turned to her. "What's that you have there, dear?" It was likely her mother already knew, but that didn't stop her from humoring her daughter.

"My Hogwarts acceptance letter." She handed the letter over to her mother, who took it and began scanning through the pages.

Elise's cheeks dimpled, making the corners of her eyes wrinkle as she looked up from the parchment, "We'll have to take a trip to Diagon Alley this week then, won't we? I will talk to your father about it tonight and we will figure out a day, but for now, why don't you help me with putting the books away that are in drawing room?"

"Okay."

Elise stood, holding out the letter, which Sylvi took and folded back up and placed on the table. Then she followed her mother out of the room.

* * *

Later that night, Sylvi could hear her parents talking to each other across the library. They didn't know she was there – she was generally so quiet that it was hard to notice her, and she often used that to her advantage. At the moment, she could only hear snippets, but as she silently moved forward, more of their conversation could be heard.

"-send her to Durmstrang. I know they don't accept students from Scotland, but she was born in Norway and if we send her to live with her grandparents –"

Her mother cut her father off. "Sylvi has been wanting to go to Hogwarts ever since Anette told her about it. She would be heartbroken if we sent her to Durmstrang." Anette was her grandmother, whom she saw about once a week when she came over to have tea with her mother. The old woman doted on her, as she was her only grandchild.

"You know it's only a matter of time until the Dark Lord returns and when he does…" Sylvi blinked. The Dark Lord? Wasn't he gone, though? That Potter boy defeated him years ago. Yet her parents were talking about him like – like he was coming back.

"The Forstroms were neutral in the last war, Alexander. We shall stay neutral for this one." Elise caressed her husband's face to take away the bite from her words.

"And if she chooses a side? What are we to do then?"

"He recruited from Durmstrang as well. The only other option aside from moving to America would be Beauxbatons and I will not be sending her there. Whether it be Durmstrang or Hogwarts, she will be at risk. In any case, I believe our daughter has the foresight to choose wisely." Her father sighed, and Sylvi knew that her mother had won. Her parents sat there for a few minutes in silence and she was about to walk away when her father spoke again.

"She reminds me of my grandmother, truth be told." Alexander pulled his wife into his lap, and she leaned into his chest.

"Which one?" Elise closed her eyes and smiled as he began stroking her hair.

"You actually never met her; she died when I was a boy. At least, you've never met her in person. However, you have met her portrait." Elise hummed at him, acknowledging his statement. "Ophelia Forstrom was an extremely intelligent woman. She was also cunning, clever, and could be ruthless if she wanted to. Did you know she was a Seer?" Her great-grandma Ophelia was a Seer? Why had no one told her this?

Elise pulled back, staring into her husband's handsome face. "A Seer? Xander, do you think…?" She trailed off, afraid to put the question into a sentence for fear of it being true.

Alexander shrugged and pulled her back to him again. "Ophelia came into her power early – around Sylvi's age, actually. I suppose time will only tell whether or not she has been similarly gifted."

"Will he not wish to cultivate her?" Elise was frowning.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. If she turns out to have inherited our family's legacy, I will have her speak to Ophelia's portrait. She will teach her the necessary skills to master it as well as hide it from those who would abuse it."

"I suppose that will have to do." Elise sighed. "When will we take her to Diagon Alley?"

"School doesn't start for another two months, but I wish for her to be adequately prepared, so we can go sometime this week."

"She's more than adequately prepared." Her mother sounded amused. "She's read just about every book in the main library. If she does well this year, and has shown the proper maturity, I do believe that you should allow her to read from your private library." Sylvi blinked. His private library? She had never been allowed in there – not even when she was with her parents. She knew that her father kept books in there that shouldn't be outside of the Ministry, books that had been outlawed for centuries.

"Elise, there are books there that –"

"I understand that. Not those books – at least not until she's a bit older. It's just that… well, if he is going to be returning, I want her to be as prepared as possible."

"That would be acceptable. But she does not leave the house with them."

"Sweet Merlin, no; the Ministry would have a heyday."

He kissed her. "Then we are in agreement." She hummed and returned the gesture, and it was a few moments before Sylvi recognized that they were done with their conversation and had started moving onto _other things._ She turned with a grimace and quietly left the library, intent on going up to her room.

She learned a few things while eavesdropping. The first was that her parents truly believed that the Dark Lord would be back. Her father had good instincts, and so she trusted his belief. However, how anyone could come back from a rebounded Killing Curse was beyond her, but she made a mental note to research it. The second was that her great-grandmother was a Seer, and that she needed to make a visit to her portrait.

For several months now, around the time she had turned eleven, she had flashes of future events or knowings. It could be simple things, such as some dish falling in the kitchen or someone saying something. Or it could be more difficult things, like when she had known beforehand when one of the servants had slipped and fallen down the stairs. She hadn't really understood what it was, so merely thought it to be a dream of some sort, although how she could dream while awake had been an interesting thought. Much to her surprise, later that week, a servant did indeed lose their footing on the stairwell. She had felt guilty after that, because she had told no one about it and could have prevented it, maybe, or at least lessened the damage. The servant hadn't died, but had broken their leg and collar bone.

But that was all she could get - flashes. She had no control over how long they lasted or when they happened, they just sort of came and went. The prospect of being able to control them, of the ability to properly interpret them, excited her.

She reached her bedroom and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. It had a cozy atmosphere, with colors of brown, cream, and green all around. Her four poster bed sat in the middle and a nightstand stood on either side of it. A large chest sat at the end of her bed, facing the fireplace. A tall dresser stood at one end of her room, with a full length mirror beside it. There was also a desk, a chair, and several bookshelves. Several enchanted lanterns illuminated the room with the help of the fireplace.

As she dressed for bed, her mind went back to her parent's conversation. If the Dark Lord were truly to return, what side would she even pick – if any? As her family had been neutral in the last war, they would not receive any repercussions should he rise again. She shook her head. No, she'd heard what had been going on during the first war, she would not sit idly by and let it happen. She would have to come up with a plan. To go toe to toe with a Dark Lord… she would have to do some serious research and training. As she slipped into her covers for the night, she said the key word that would dim the enchanted lanterns around her room. Tomorrow she would go see her great-grandmother's portrait.


	2. Chapter 2

The woman in the portrait before her smiled down at her and Sylvi only realized just how much she looked like the deceased Seer. Ophelia Forstrom had a diamond-shaped face, with a small, pointed chin and a sharp nose and full lips. Strong, arched brows sat over almond shaped green eyes. Ophelia's hair was as black as her own, with a slight curl to it. Her pale skin and clear complexion amplified her elegant beauty. Like Ophelia, Sylvi was of average height, with a neat hourglass figure.

"I knew I would be seeing you soon, Sylvi."

"I overheard my dad saying that if I should happen to be showing signs of a certain ability, I should see you." Sylvi felt it best to be honest – there was no point in lying to the portrait, not when she wanted information.

"You have been gifted with the Sight, or cursed with it, depending on your perspective. There will be times in your life when you wished you had never been afflicted with it, and other times you will be grateful." The portrait folded her hands in her lap. "What is it you wish to know?"

Sylvi spent the next hour and a half questioning her grandmother's portrait. The woman had suggested keeping a journal, but getting it warded so that only she would be able to open it. Her father had a few of those, so she would just ask him if she could have one. Most girls her age kept a diary, so it wouldn't be anything out of the ordinary.

Her grandmother's portrait had also told her of books that she could get her hands on, like _Unfogging the Future_ and _The Dream Oracle._ She had also suggested obtaining books about Occlumency; whatever that was. Sylvi had read a lot of books, but had never come across Occlumency, which meant it was rare magic, and possibly dangerous as well. Ophelia had also mentioned something about Legilimency, and she was going to have to research that one, too.

Ophelia had also told her about meditation, about how it helped focus her mind so that she would better understand details in her visions, to try and determine when and where it would be. Not only that, but it also helped pave the way for her learning Occlumency, which was imperative, apparently. She had also suggested looking into the old ways; not because of the Sight, but because it would supposedly prove useful in the future.

Determined, she set out towards the library to see if she could find any book on the subject.

* * *

Sighing, she set _The Essential Guide to Occlumency_ by Arietta Redwood down. It supposedly came with another book, _The Essential Guide to Legilimency,_ but she had yet to find it. She supposed it might be in her father's private library, and according to what she had heard, -if she played her cards right- she would have access to it at the end of the school year.

She had found several books that seemed like they would prove useful, such as _The Olde Ways_ by Cyrena Norwood, as well as _The Seer's Compendium_ by Dante Murik. Later, she would ask her father for a spelled notebook, but for now, she had some researching to do. She picked up _The Essential Guide to Occlumency,_ settled down into one of the many armchairs in the library, and began to read.

 _Occlumency is an obscure magic, but a powerful one. Used properly, it will allow you to shield your mind from outside influence. It is also a helpful tactic against Legilimency, the art of delving into someone's mind. Occlumency is, however, the art of shielding oneself against such an intrusion. This book is designed to walk you through the steps of learning Occlumency. Know that not many can use it, and fewer still can master it. Because of how dangerous it can be, here is a list of side effects that can come with learning Occlumency…_

* * *

A few hours later, she set the book down on her lap. So Occlumency was a rare magic that kept people out of your head. Interesting. There were many dangers to learning it, if done improperly, but she was willing to take the risk. The book spoke of meditation and visualization before beginning to even think about shielding her mind, so she made a note to find a book on meditation techniques. Such a task wouldn't be hard. After all, her family's library was immense and meditation was not something that her father would have in his private library.

She got up and looking through the shelves, and was rewarded when she found several books about meditation. One was titled _Clearing Your Mind_ by Hera Kiln and _Visualization Techniques for Meditation_ by Ulrich Jolan. She knew the basics of meditation, but wanted a thorough understanding of it before attempting Occlumency.

Carrying the books back to the armchair, she set the books next to the others, and then sat down in the armchair only to begin reading once more.

* * *

That was how Sylvi spent the next three days – in the library. She had acquired several notebooks from her father and had already begun writing in one of them in an effort to record her dreams and visions. Several trips to her grandmother's portrait had also been made as she had come up with questions. There was so much to learn!

It would take her a while to master meditation, so she wouldn't be starting Occlumency until next year at best. She understood why she had to learn these things; if anyone got into her head and found that she was a Seer, it would mean trouble. Not the 'parent' kind of trouble, but the 'you're in danger' trouble. It wasn't specifically Death Eaters or Voldemort sympathizers – she had to keep her ability away from those that were against him as well. It was to protect herself, and her family.

Her grandmother had told her tales of what had happened to those Seers who had not hidden their abilities to those not trustworthy. Some had been family, some had not. All were some tale of tragedy or another.

She was brought out of her musings when she heard her mother's voice calling to her in the hallway. "Sylvi? Where are you?"

"In the library!" she called out, standing from her chair and walking towards the entrance of the library. Her mother rounded the corner and they met just outside the room.

"There you are. Your father and I were planning a trip to Diagon Alley today. Seeing as how you need school supplies, we thought you would like to come with us."

Sylvi smiled, her eyes lighting up. "I want to go, yes! Just let me put some books up." Her mother waved a hand.

"Let the servants get it, dear. I've already spent enough time looking for you as it is, and you know your father." As patience went, Alexander Forstrom had very little. Sylvi nodded and followed her mother to her father's study. They would be traveling by Floo, apparently.

Elise looked down at her daughter and smiled. Sylvi had always been a somewhat reserved child, but she could tell how excited she was just by the wide smile on her face and the way green her eyes glittered with happiness.

Meanwhile, Sylvi's head was rampant with thoughts. She was finally going to get a wand! Maybe she could convince her parents to get her an owl, or a cat. She'd always wanted a cat. And the books! She loved books, and had started a small collection of her own that grew as other people gifted her them or she found them. She'd also be getting robes for school – maybe she could convince her mother to allow her some robes for the weekends as well. And her own potions set! She loved potions – often helping her mother when she decided to brew something.

Just thinking about everything amped up her excitement and she was practically vibrating with it when they reached her father's study. Alexander couldn't help but smirk at his daughter's obvious enthusiasm. He motioned for his daughter to grab some Floor powder. "Make sure you state Diagon Alley clearly."

Sylvi nodded, and tossed the powder into the fireplace, which caused it to erupt into emerald green flames. She walked into them and said, "Diagon Alley." The world spun around her, and although it was highly disorienting, she made sure to keep her elbows tucked in. She'd hit something one time and cracked the bone once – she would rather not have to experience that again.

When the world stopped spinning, she was standing in an overly large fireplace off in a secluded spot in Diagon Alley. There were several other large fireplaces in the area as well. She could hear people chattering, but she resisted the urge to just wander off, and stepped out of the fireplace. While she waited for her parents, she began thinking of what her wand might look like. Out of everything, getting her own wand would be the highlight of her summer.


	3. Chapter 3

She had been to Diagon Alley countless times before with her parents, but this time seemed filled with wonder and excitement. She thought her and her mother would be doing her school shopping while her father went and conducted his business, but that was not meant to be, apparently, as her mother handed her a purse of galleons.

Disappointment shot through her heart, but she kept her face a pleasant mask when her mother told her that she was sorry, but she had to go with her father. They were to meet back up at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour in four hours, and with a peck on the cheek and a wave, she was left alone in front of Madam Malkin's. Sighing, she pocketed the pouch and entered the shop. A little of the magic of getting her First Year school supplies dwindled.

Madam Malkin was a short, squat woman entirely robed in light purple. Sylvi waited patiently while the woman took care of another customer, a pale, blond haired boy.

Finally, the older woman turned to her. "Buying some school robes, eh?" She craned her neck, trying to see around her to find her parents.

"I'm afraid my mother and father have some business to attend to, so I am alone today."

Madam Malkin nodded, unruffled. "Well then, step up on this stool and we will get you measured."

Sylvi did as she bid, and with a flick of her wand, a measuring tape wrapped around her, taking her measurements. A quill and notepad floated in the air and started taking notes.

"What will you be getting today?"

"Just the robes, cloak, and hat, plus a few extra." Madam Malkin nodded, and continued her measurements.

The blond boy looked at her, grey eyes studying her. "Are you going to Hogwarts?"

"Yes. I got my letter earlier this week." She smiled politely at him, and Madam Malkin just busied herself with getting things together.

"I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." The expectant look on his face told her that he was used to people being impressed by his name. She recognized it; how could she not? The Malfoys were extremely prominent in Wizarding Society.

They had also been followers of Voldemort in the first Wizarding War. Lucius Malfoy had claimed Imperius. There was no way for the Ministry to tell if he had been Imperiused or not, and several generous donations to the Ministry by the Malfoy family enabled him to walk.

"I'm Sylvi," she said, inclining her head towards him.

If he noticed her leaving off her last name, he didn't show it. He was too busy being disappointed in her lack of reaction to his family name.

He bounced back, however, and asked, "What House do you think you'll be in? I bet I'll be in Slytherin. All my family have."

"I'm not sure. My parents didn't attend Hogwarts."

Something flashed across his face. "What do you mean?"

She almost grinned. He was trying to gauge if she was a muggleborn. Halfbloods were tolerated and sometimes well respected, but Merlin preserve you if you were a muggleborn. Her parents held no such prejudices, but there were many - the Malfoys among them - who did.

She almost played that card, but she needed contacts and allies. She couldn't risk alienating the son of one of the most powerful families in the Wizarding world.

"Merely that they attended Durmstrang. My family's from Norway, you see. It was only after I was born that my parents moved to Scotland."

"I see." He was back to being friendly. She almost sighed. If she befriended him, she would have to work on his… everything. His opinions were no doubt a product of his upbringing, but they could be reasoned with and changed with time and enough influence.

His social mask needed refining, not to mention his manners. One did not introduce themselves to a lady outside of an approved setting and a dressmaker's shop was certainly not in that list.

She supposed she was being too harsh - the boy was only eleven, after all and he couldn't be expected to portray the proper behaviors. It was proven that men matured slower than women.

"In any case, my grandmother and great-grandmother attended. One was in Ravenclaw, and the other Slytherin. There's never really been a pattern in my family."

"Ravenclaw isn't as good as Slytherin, but it's acceptable. Better than Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, anyway. I couldn't imagine being in Hufflepuff." She hummed a noncommittal response as Madam Malkin busied herself gathering her school clothes.

"There you go, dear." Madam Malkin motioned for her to step off the stool. Then she put everything into boxes, shrunk them, and then put them in a bag.

Draco called to her, "I suppose I'll see you at school, then." She smiled politely and nodded before leaving the shop. She wondered why he was taking so long; it didn't take that long to get any kind of robes unless you had a huge order. Then again, he was a Malfoy. Peacocks, the lot of them. Didn't she hear a rumor that they had albino peacocks roving their grounds?

She idly wondered if she would be in Slytherin with him; there was no doubt that he would be in Slytherin. There hadn't been a Malfoy who hadn't been. If there had been, the event would have been hushed up and the person most likely disowned. They took it that seriously.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, she headed next door to Flourish & Blotts. The store was large, with shelves that stacked to the ceiling. Everywhere she looked was filled with books; stacked on the floor, on bookshelves - some books even floated in midair, moving out of reach of a flustered employee trying to grab them.

A man walked up to her - his face was unfamiliar so she assumed he was the newest assistant - and asked her, "Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for my first year books?" She hoped he knew the list because she could only remember a few of the books needed.

He smiled, "Going to Hogwarts, eh?" She nodded and followed him around the store as he levitated books from several different piles. "Are you excited?"

"Yes." He nodded good naturally, but in a distracted way. She couldn't blame him. Diagon Alley was always busy, and Flourish & Blotts constantly had people coming and going. The upcoming school year didn't help and Flourish & Blotts only had the manager, assistant manager, and assistant to keep things in order. She wondered why they didn't hire more people.

"Will that be all or do you want to look around for a while?"

She thought for a moment. She could try to find more books on meditation; she'd only been able to find one in her family's library. Then again, she didn't know how many Galleons were in the purse her mother gave her. She shook her head. "I think I'm fine for the moment." Her family went to Diagon Alley quite often; she'd be able to look around then.

"Okay, then! If you will follow me to the counter, we can complete your purchase!" He certainly was enthusiastic. She followed him to the front desk and he began shrinking the books, putting them all into one bag. "That'll be 8 Galleons, and 5 Knuts." She counted out the coins and once he had them safely in his hand, he gave the bag to her. "Have a nice day!"

"Thank you." As she turned, she bumped into someone; or rather, they bumped into her. She looked up to find grey eyes staring down at her, a blond eyebrow raised. The man had long blond hair and was frowning slightly. The eyes were so like the ones she had seen earlier that she had an inkling that she had just bumped into Draco Malfoy's father, Lucius. "Excuse me, sir." He nodded to her and let her pass.

She exited the shop, and turned towards Potage's Cauldron Shop where she would, obviously, buy her cauldron - 15 Galleons. Next was the Apothecary, which smelled rotten eggs and cabbage. It was here that she bought some basic potions ingredients, as well as a set of crystal phials, and a set of brass scales, and, oddly enough, a telescope. Why an Apothecary would carry telescopes, she didn't know.

It was finally time to get her wand. She was going to stop by Magical Menagerie after for a cat, and then possibly an owl. The letter said that they were only allowed one, but who didn't let their child have an owl for the post? Oh, there was the school's owls, she supposed, but someone more than likely went through the mail and she did not want that, being as private as she was. She also wasn't sure if she wanted to trust the school's owls to safely transport her correspondence with her parents. It would be better if they had an owl they could trust rather than using a different one every single time. Surely she could speak to her father and he could -

Someone bumped into her and she gasped, dropping her bags. A flash of green light, cold, high laughter, and a woman's shrill scream set her heart to pounding. What was that?

"I-I'm sorry." A boy with green eyes and unruly black hair bent down, gathering her things off the street. "Didn't mean to - I was just distracted." He offered the bags to her and she took them, willing her heart to stop hammering.

"It's fine. I should have been more aware of my surroundings." She offered him a polite smile.

"Right." They stood there awkwardly for a few seconds until, "So you're going to Hogwarts, too?"

She nodded. "Yes. I just need my wand and then I'm off to get a cat, maybe." He scrunched up his nose. What was wrong with cats?

"I just got my wand," he held it up, grinning. It was a dark wood, with a knobby end. "I'm Harry, by the way. Harry Potter." She snapped her eyes to him, wide-eyed. She managed not to gape. Never had she imagined she would have just bumped into him. Speaking of which, it explained the flashes she had gotten from him. She wondered if he remembered what had happened or if it were just a dream to him.

"I'm Sylvi. It's… It's very nice to meet you." Inwardly, she chastised herself. Of course she would have met him sooner or later. She should have been better prepared and not have acted like a complete dunderhead. Now she was being too hard on herself. They were only eleven, after all. Hopefully he would forget.

"I should get going. Hagrid said he was getting me an owl." Who was Hagrid? "See you around, maybe!" He pocketed his wand - shouldn't he have gotten a holster for that? - and walked in the direction of Eeylops Owl Emporium, disappearing inside the shop.

She'd just met Harry Potter. Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy all in one day. Two sides of the spectrum, really. Shaking her head, she walked into Ollivander's Wand Shop, a bell tinkling somewhere from inside the shop as she did so. The shop was reminiscent of Flourish & Blotts in that it was completely filled with shelves, but instead of books, these shelves were filled with wand casings. It was also quite dusty and her nose itched.

An old man walked from the back room and his pale eyes zeroed in on her. "Good afternoon." His eyes seemed to see through her. "Miss Forstrom. You do look so like your father." She knew she did. About the only thing she had inherited from her mother was her fair skin. Black hair and green eyes were as normal for the Forstrom family as blond hair and grey eyes were for the Malfoys. "Although you remind me more of your grandmother, Ophelia. Silver lime, 13 ½ inches with a unicorn hair. Reasonably supple. I wonder…" Wonder what? She wished he would stop staring at her so intently.

As if he could read her mind, his eyes left her. "Hold out your wand hand." She held her right arm out and a tape measurer - of all things - started to measure her arm. Then it measured her height. And then her head. What was all this for?

"That's enough," he said, turning towards a shelf, and pulling out a box. The tape measurer fell to the floor and he turned back around to her. He took the wand out and handed it to her. "Silver lime, 12 inches with a unicorn hair. Pliant." His eyes narrowed shrewdly when she took the wand from his hand. Before she could do anything with it, he plucked it from her hand and put it back in its box. "Hmm…" He set the box down on the counter and then went to grab another one and handing it to her. "Ash, 13 inches with phoenix feather. Brittle."

She'd barely touched it when he took it out of her hands, shaking his head. He grabbed another box. This went on for a while until finally, he went into the back room, muttering to himself. He didn't seem agitated. Instead he seemed… delighted?

He came out of the back room with an old box in his hand, swiping off the dust. He opened the box, revealing a light wooden wand, with a darker wood for the handle. He handed it to her, saying, "Yew with walnut handle, 13 inches and phoenix feather. Reasonably supple."

She gripped it and felt something rush through her. A wind seemed to ruffle her hair, and a jet of white light shot out the end if it. Ollivander clapped and laughed. "Wonderful! Now, if you'll bring it up to the counter, I can get that all set for you."

She followed him to the shop's counter, which was also covered in dust and wand boxes. "Might I also be able to buy a holster?"

"Certainly!" He bent down and rummaged through something, then brought a dark leather wand holster to the countertop. "All of that comes to 10 Galleons."

She handed him the handful of coins and he smiled at her while putting her wand and holster in a bag. "Have a good day and remember to take care of your wand. It will only take care of you as good as you take care of it."

"Thank you." She took the bag and then walked out of the store. At least it wasn't dusty out in the street. And she had her wand! Finally. A smile lit her face as she made her way to Magical Menagerie.

When she entered the shop, her nose wrinkled slightly. It smelled musty, with the scents of many different animals mixed in. She knew she wanted a cat, so she walked towards the pens of cats off to the side of the store.

There were adult cats and kittens, some meowing, some sleeping. She didn't want a fully grown cat, so instead she looked at the kittens. There were so many color variations and all of them were different sizes and some had short hair while others were a bit fluffier. Some had green eyes, others had blue, while others still had a gold-brown color.

Her eyes skimmed over the cats until one caught her eye. It was a grey, black and white thing, covered in fluffy fur. Its green eyes found hers and held them, and she felt drawn to the kitten. Slowly, she reached out to it, and it closed the distance, butting its head on her hand. She smiled at it, and then proceeded to pick it up (it settled in her arms) and walk over to the counter.

The manager smiled widely at the sight of her carrying the cat. "Found a cat, have you? Interesting that you would pick that one, however. She doesn't really like people that much."

"She seems to like me," Sylvi's voice was soft, however, so the shopkeeper didn't take offence.

"Would you like to buy some essentials for her? I've some food, toys, and grooming supplies. I also have a pamphlet that tells you all you need to know about taking care of a pet." Sylvi nodded to all of the man's suggestions, and he was soon cataloging everything. "That one is half Norwegian Forest Cat, half Kneazle. We get a lot of Kneazle cross-breeds here. There's a woman out in Surrey who breeds them and she provides us with some of the litters." He shrunk everything (except the cat, who stayed in her arms purring contentedly) and levitated them into a bag. "That'll be 18 Galleons."

She paid him, and, with a little juggling, took her bags. "If you need anything else, just be sure to drop by! Thank you and have a good day!"

"You, too." She smiled and left the shop. Then she made her way to the stationary store to buy parchment, ink, and quills.

Now laden with bags and a kitten that had fallen asleep, she made her way to the Floo. It was almost time for her and her parents to meet hack up. While she was still disappointed that she didn't get to spend the day with her parents, she was happy that she finally got to get everything for school. She would need a trunk with everything (she would have to ask her mother to unshrink everything later), but they had plenty of those at home. Her plans for an owl would have to wait another day.

When she reached the area they had arrived in, she saw her parents. She wasn't worried, though. They most likely hadn't been waiting long and she was on time.

"Hello, dear." Her mother smiled at her, hugging her but taking care not to jostle the kitten in her arms.

"Were you able to get everything?" Her father looked at the kitten in her arms, made a face, and then looked back to her face. She smiled. Her dad didn't really like cats but she knew he wouldn't stop her from keeping it.

"Yes," she replied. "Although I'd like to talk to you about getting an owl. It seems silly that we're only allowed one animal. A cat or toad certainly can't carry mail, and I would rather not have to use the school's owls. Who knows what would happen to my post with an owl our family does not know."

"I will contact the Headmaster and see if we can arrange something." Her father smiled at her. "Now, let's get back home, shall we? If you put everything in your room in an orderly manner, we can go for a walk around the lake."

It was her father's way of apologizing and she knew it. He had been especially busy lately, and hadn't had much time for his wife and child. It was also a reward. She hadn't pitched a fit or whined and he rewarded good behavior, as a father should. Even so, she generally wasn't the type of child to actually do those things. The fact that they had trusted her to navigate Diagon Alley by herself attested to that.

The disappointment she had felt curling in her chest all afternoon slowly faded. "I'd like that, dad." It wasn't often she used the words 'dad' or 'mom'. She stopped doing that when she turned 8, but she used it in times like this, when she wanted to let them know that she knew they were trying.

"Well, then. What are we waiting for?" He nudged her towards the Floo, and she once again juggled the bags and kitten in her arms to grab a handful of green powder. Throwing it down, she called out "Forstrom Estate!" And was gone in a swirl of emerald green fire.

* * *

 **Notes:**

Please note that Sylvi comes from an extremely wealthy family. She doesn't blink an eye at spending money and she doesn't think about certain things. 15 Galleons is a lot of money for a cauldron (much less 18 for a cat and supplies), but she doesn't think about the cost because she doesn't have to. Remember that the Weasleys only had 1 Galleon and a small pile of Knuts and Sickles in their vault in 1992, all of which Molly Weasley cleaned out before going shopping for supplies.

Sylvi is 11 and wealthy, but she has also had several "strict" governesses who made absolutely sure that she was not an arrogant, stuck up pureblood. They have done a good job, for the most part.

She has also been brought up in a world where manners and how one presents themselves to society is a big deal, so some of her thoughts about certain characters coincide with that mindset. Remember, she's 11! Children can be judgmental little shits if they want to be - some polite, some rude, but judgmental all the same. Hopefully she will grow and learn as she gets older.

She also had no doubts about her family's wealth and influence. Even though the Forstroms are not of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, they have just as much political and social clout as the Malfoys do. They are both very old families. So when she talks to her father about getting an owl in addition with her cat, she's not simply just being a spoiled brat (she's a bit spoiled, but not to the point that some people are), she doesn't see anything weird or "high-handed" about it. She thinks the rule is silly, so why not get her father (she's 11, she can't do anything!) to try and change it?

She also doesn't know that Harry was raised by Muggles. So she doesn't understand that the reason why he didn't get a holster was because he didn't know the "proper" way to carry a wand. In truth, holsters CAN be used to carry a wand, but it's just as easy to have them in your pocket or robes (but according to some wizards, is really dangerous).

Also, the bit about the wand. I've read that the wand can have two different types of wood, but not fused together. The wand can be a certain wood, and the handle be another. I tried tying in certain characteristics of Sylvi in with wand lore.

Did you know that silver lime is said to be especially useful to Seers? I thought about it, I seriously did, but I thought that might be too cliche. So walnut and yew it is. Wands made out of yew are said to be especially powerful. Voldemort's wand was made out of yew. Ginny's, too.

As for walnut, here is an excerpt from Pottermore:

"Highly intelligent witches and wizards ought to be offered a walnut wand for trial first, because in nine cases out of ten, the two will find in each other their ideal mate. Walnut wands are often found in the hands of magical innovators and inventors; this is a handsome wood possessed of unusual versatility and adaptability. A note of caution, however: while some woods are difficult to dominate, and may resist the performance of spells that are foreign to their natures, the walnut wand will, once subjugated, perform any task its owner desires, provided that the user is of sufficient brilliance. This makes for a truly lethal weapon in the hands of a witch or wizard of no conscience, for the wand and the wizard may feed from each other in a particularly unhealthy manner."

Did you know that Bellatrix's wand was made of walnut? Explains a few things.

Also, guess who the "woman out in Surrey" is! If you guessed Mrs. Figg, you were right!


	4. Chapter 4

The rest of her summer went by smoothly. Her father's work lessened and he was able to spend more time with them. She also received permission to buy an owl, so her parents took her to Eeylops Owl Emporium and bought her an eagle owl. It was a gorgeous bird, weighing in at 8 pounds with a wingspan of 6 feet.

Since that day in Diagon Alley, she named her kitten Nadia, and her owl Boudicca. She spent her days reading in the library, enjoying the company of her parents, and spending time with her new pets. Nadia had grown a bit by the end of the summer, and Sylvi started taking her outside. Nadia loved being outside, often walking beside Sylvi on her walks only to run off and try to hunt something. She was still a kitten, however, so she usually didn't catch anything, much to Sylvi's amusement.

The day finally came when she was to board the Hogwarts Express, and she packed all of her supplies in a trunk, double checking to make sure that she wasn't missing anything. Not only had she packed her school books, but she had also packed several books from her family's library. Her animals went in their respective cages (she couldn't very well allow them outside of their crates in the middle of a train station). Nadia didn't seem to mind, but Boudicca seemed irritated at being locked up.

"Don't worry, girl. It's only until tonight," she said, slipping a few owl treats into the cage. Boudicca stopped hooting, her yellow eyes quickly spotting the treats. She behaved after that.

They would Floo to a non-Muggle area near King's Cross Station, and then go through Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, where Sylvi would board the Hogwart's Express. She was a little nervous, but overall happy and excited that this day had finally come. She would miss her parents, obviously, but she would be able to write to them and see on the Holidays.

Several servants brought her trunks and animals to her father's study. There were multiple fireplaces in the Manor, but the fireplace connected to the Floo was in her father's study. He said they had better security that way and her father was nothing if not careful.

"Do you have everything?" Her mother asked.

Sylvi nodded. "Yes, mother." Her father walked into his study, straightening his jacket cuffs.

"You can take your trunks, and your mother and I will take your animals. There will be trolleys at the station for you to use, so we can load everything up then." Sylvi nodded again. Her parents were more experienced with the Floo Network, so Boudicca and Nadia would have an easier time if they went with them.

"We'll see you on the other side." Her father smiled at her.

She grabbed her trunks (one held her books and the other her clothes), stepped into the fireplace, threw down the powder, and said, "King's Cross Station!" The green fire if the Floo enveloped her and she was whisked away.

She came stumbling out if the Floo (why was it always so disorienting?), but was able to right herself before grabbing a trolley and setting her trunks on it. The Floo area of King's Cross was filled with Wizarding families and their children. The Muggles didn't notice them stepping out if fireplaces, as there were a copious amount of wards specifically designed to hide their activities. Even so, several Ministry officials milled about, ready to do damage control should anything happen.

One immediately after the other, her parents stepped out of the Floo. They put Nadia's cage down first, then Boudicca's on top of it.

"Alright, let's get going, then." Her mother smiled a big smile and Sylvi knew that her parents were just as excited for her as she was, plus maybe then some. Forstrom Manor was large, with three floors and plenty of acreage surrounding, but her parents tried to spend a lot of time with their daughter. It was easy to forget about your children when you had a large home and plenty of servants and house-elves to take care if their needs. Too often were pureblooded children raised by someone other than their parents.

They exited the Floo area and walked down the platforms until they reached Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Many families said their goodbyes here before watching their children run through the barrier, but her parents went through with her.

She was nervous about going through. It was, after all, a solid wall to everyone. It was just Muggles that the platform was invisible to. She ran through it, and was immediately relieved to feel the rush of magic, and then see the Hogwarts Express. There were so many people here!

She had gone to parties with her parents before, and of course Diagon Alley, but other than that, she hadn't met very many people. Political connections, sons and daughters of other purebloods (even a few halfbloods and muggleborns), but never so many at the same time. She felt a little overwhelmed and knew that it would take some time getting used to.

Her mother hugged her when she came through, telling her that she loved her and to write. Her father just hugged her and kissed her on the cheek, which was fine with her. Alexander Forstrom was a quiet man who believed that actions spoke louder than words.

"Do you have your ticket?" Elise Forstrom was not a quiet woman - which was probably why her parents worked well together. Sylvi showed her mother the ticket. "Good. Keep it on you, but don't be surprised if it's gone after you step on the train." She hugged her again, squeezing her tight. "I love you, honey."

"Love you, too, mum." She caught her dad's eye and smiled.

Her mother pulled back. "Right. Off you go! Try not to get into trouble and make sure to write!"

Sylvi waved at her parents before boarding the train, and letting one of the attendants mark her luggage. She said bye to Nadia and Boudicca for the moment, and then went to find a compartment. The train attendant would make sure her trunks and animals would be safe for the train ride. Her grandmother told her that when they were Sorted, their luggage would be magicked to their common room.

A lot of the compartments were full, but she eventually found an empty one. She sat down next to the window, trying to stamp down the excitement brewing in her chest. Reading always helped, so she pulled out _Clearing Your Mind_ by Hera Kiln out of her tote bag, and began to read. (Insert an excerpt here)

"Excuse me." She was so engrossed in her book that at first she did not notice the person trying to talk to her. "Excuse me!"

This time, she looked up. A girl with bushy brown hair, light brown eyes, and slightly bucked teeth stared at her with an odd expression on her face. Sylvi raised an eyebrow and tilted her head to signify that she was listening.

"Have you seen a toad anywhere? Someone named Neville lost one and I'm helping him try to find it."

Someone lost their familiar? Already? Really, some people. "No, I have not seen a toad."

The girl looked slightly disappointed, but then brightened. "What book is that? I don't remember it being on the supply list." She looked slightly worried after that last sentence.

"That's because it wasn't. It comes from my family's library. It's about meditation."

The girl looked relieved. "Oh, that's good." Then she changed the subject. "Have you read any of the books? I read them all over the summer."

Sylvi nodded. "I have."

"They're fascinating! When Professor McGonagall came and told my parents I was witch, it explained so much. Magic is so fascinating!"

Sylvi smiled politely and let the girl go on about magic and books. She wondered if all muggleborns would be like this - and it was no doubt that she was a muggleborn. Then again, magic was a new concept for them. Sylvi had been around magic since she was born and it was just something that was there. The bushy-haired girl's enthusiasm was kind of refreshing.

"I've forgotten to introduce myself. How terribly rude of me!" The girl stuck out her hand towards Sylvi, smiling. "I'm Hermione Granger."

Handshakes were acceptable in society, although it was typically done to cement business agreements. It was still an acceptable form of introducing oneself. Sylvi shook the hand and said, "I'm Sylvi."

"Well. It was nice to meet you, but I should get back to looking for Neville's toad." Hermione turned to leave, but then spun back around. "You should change into your robes. We're almost there."

She smiled. "Thank you." Hermione left then, letting the compartment door slide shut. That one would be in Ravenclaw. Or Gryffindor. She sounded too much like a know-it-all (and kind of snobbish) to be in Hufflepuff, and she didn't have the control a Slytherin would - not to mention there hadn't been a muggle-born in Slytherin for a long time.

She changed into her robes, which had been neatly folded in her tote bag until then. Once dressed, she settled back down and began reading her book.

Half an hour later, a voice went through the train, saying, "We will arrive in five minutes. Please leave your luggage on the train and allow the attendants to tend to it."

Five minutes later, the train came to a stop, and she snapped her book closed, and put it back in her bag. She joined the throng of students making their way off the train. Once she was off the train, she realized that she had no idea where to go. The platform was dark, and the other first years stood shivering in the cold night air. It was cold, but nothing Sylvi wasn't used to.

Just then, a voice started calling out, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" A giant of a man stood over the heads of the students, waving a lantern and repeating his words.

When he had gathered all the first year students, he led them down a dark, steep path. It was so narrow that they couldn't go more than two at a time. The boy next to her tripped, he had a round face, and she helped him back up.

"Thanks," he said, and she hummed. The distraction had caused her to miss what the giant man was saying, but she saw what he was pointing towards. The narrow path opened up to the edge of a large, dark lake. On top of a mountain was a huge castle with turrets and towers, and many, many windows. It was an impressive sight, to say the least.

Again, she missed what the man was saying, but he pointed to a bunch of tiny boats sitting at the edge of the water. They were supposed to arrive in those? She had to give them points for creativity, she supposed. She wondered how the other years were going to be arriving.

Stepping into the boat and sitting down; she was accompanied by a dark haired boy, a brown haired girl, and a blonde girl. She saw that the round faced boy went to sit with Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and some red-headed boy who she was pretty sure was a Weasley.

"Everyone together?" The man shouted from his own boat. He couldn't very well let anyone else with him - the boat would most likely sink! "Alrigh' then - forward!" The boats began gliding across the surface of the lake.

"Impressive magic, isn't it?" The blonde haired girl asked.

"I suppose it is," the dark haired boy replied. His eyes were glued to the castle, and his knuckles gripped the sides of the boat.

"I'm Daphne Greengrass."

"Theo." He nodded to them before turning his eyes back to the castle, which was getting nearer and nearer as the boats moved.

"Tracey Davis." The girl with the brown hair smiled at everyone, obviously very happy to be there.

"Sylvi." She inclined her head at them, but like Theo, her eyes returned to the castle. It was an impressive piece of work, and she was amazed at how good it looked, considering it was founded somewhere in 990 A.D. Hogwarts was steeped in ancient magic, however, and it was capable of restoring itself, so she shouldn't be surprised. She had read somewhere that the staircases and sometimes even rooms moved.

They had to bend their heads to avoid the huge curtain of ivy that his an opening within the rock. Open water gave way to a tunnel that felt like it was actually underneath the castle. They docked at a sort of underground harbor, where everyone clambered out of the boats and onto loose pebbles. The big man said something about a toad, and the round faced boy who she now had identified as Neville, grabbed it from one of the boats.

They walked on a small path, up a flight of stairs, and to a large, wooden oak door. The man knocked three times, the sound echoing through the silent night. The oak door immediately opened, revealing a stern looking witch with black hair and emerald green robes.

"Firs' years are here, Professor McGonagall," the man said.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I can take them from here." So that was Hagrid. She tried to find a head of unruly black hair in the crowd if students, but couldn't. She'd lost sight of Hermione as well.

Professor McGonagall led them up another flight of stairs and through a set of heavy oak doors into a small room, where she ushered them all in. It was a tight fit, but they were all able to stand in the room, albeit shoulder to shoulder. There was some jostling while everyone tried to get situated, and the Professor waited until everyone was quiet and still before speaking.

"I would like to welcome all of you to Hogwarts, and I hope that you will be happy here. The start-of-term banquet is about to begin, however, before any of you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into one of four houses. The house you will be sorted into will be something like a family, in that you will have classes, sleep in the house dormitory, and spend free time in the house common room with others of your house." She paused, looking around at all of them huddled together.

"Now, there are four houses. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has their own history and each of them have produced outstanding witches and wizards. During the school year, your house can earn house points through good behavior, or lose them through negative behavior. At the end of the school year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup." A few people started whispering, but Sylvi couldn't make out what they were saying, so she chose to keep listening to Professor McGonagall. "The Sorting ceremony will begin in a few minutes. You should take that time to straighten yourselves as much as you can. I will return when we are ready for you." She leveled them with a stern gaze. "Wait quietly."

She swept from the room, closing the door behind her. People broke out into whispers and Sylvi was jostled a bit as people tried to get a good look around the small chamber they were in.

"Ouch!" Someone elbowed her in the side and she turned to glare at the red-headed boy standing next to her. He hadn't been there before, so it was obvious that he had shoved his way through the crowd.

"Er, sorry." He didn't seem very sorry, though, and he tugged someone into the space next to him. A head of black hair erupted from the crowd and green eyes met her own.

"Oh, you're that girl from Diagon Alley!" Harry Potter smiled at her. "Sylvi, was it?"

"Yes," she nodded her head.

"Right. This is Ron Weasley." He pointed to the red-head. She nodded.

"So, Sylvi. You got a last name?" Honestly, why did it matter?

"Yes, actually, it's -." A few people screamed, interrupting her, when a mass of ghosts materialized from the back wall. Pearly white and transparent, They were so engrossed in their argument -something about someone named Peeves- that they didn't notice them at first. It wasn't until one of the larger ones looked up that they stopped.

"Oh, hello! You're the first years, right? I'm the Fat Friar!" A door creaked, and Professor McGonagall came back into the room. "Well, I hope to see some of you in Hufflepuff! It's my old house, don't you know?" The ghosts then proceeded to leave the room.

When they were gone, Professor McGonagall turned to them. "The ceremony is about to start. Please follow me in an orderly manner." As quickly and quietly as they could, the throng of students followed the severe-looking -and sounding- professor into the Great Hall.

Quite a few people gasped when it came into view. It was an enormous hall, with four tables filled with gold plates and goblets where the students sat, and one table at the top where the teachers sat. Thousands of candles floated above the tables, and the ceiling was dotted with stars.

She heard someone whispering, "It's bewitched to look like the night sky. I read it in _Hogwarts, A History_." Professor McGonagall led them up to the teacher's table, and had them position themselves to face the students, with their backs to the teachers. Professor McGonagall then grabbed a four-legged stool and a pointed wizard's hat, and placed them out in front. The hat was quite dirty and patched. Were those patches on patches?

The hall went silent, and everybody stared at the hat. What was is supposed to do, then? Or was this a joke? She'd thought they were supposed to put the hat on.

The hat opened up, a place forming like a mouth on the fabric. A moment of silence, and then it erupted into song.

 _"Oh you may not think I'm pretty_  
 _But don't judge on what you see,_  
 _I'll eat myself if you can find_  
 _A smarter hat than me._

 _You can keep your bowlers black,_  
 _Your top hats sleek and tall,_  
 _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_  
 _And I can cap them all._

 _There's nothing hidden in your head_  
 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_  
 _So try me on and I will tell you_  
 _Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_  
 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_  
 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_  
 _Set Gryffindors apart;_

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,_  
 _Where they are just and loyal,_  
 _Those patient_

 _Hufflepuffs are true_  
 _And unafraid of toil;_

 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw if you've a ready mind,_  
 _Where those of wit and learning,_  
 _Will always find their kind;_

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin_  
 _You'll make your real friends,_  
 _Those cunning folks use any means_  
 _To achieve their ends._

 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_  
 _And don't get in a flap!_  
 _You're in safe hands (though I have none)_  
 _For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

Everyone besides the first years clapped, smiles on their faces. Grandmother Anette never told her about this! The hat spoke? It could see inside her head? Would it announce her abilities to everyone?

Professor McGonagall held up a scroll. "When I call your names, sit on the stool and put the hat on to be sorted." She waited a few moments, and then began, reading the first name on the list. "Abbott, Hannah!" A small, blonde girl walked up to the stool, sat down, and put the hat on. It sat on her head for a few seconds before yelling out, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

Everyone clapped, and one table in particular, presumably the Hufflepuffs, clapped the loudest. "Bones, Susan!" A girl with plaited red hair was next, and she was sorted into Hufflepuff as well. She looked rather relieved, too. Terry Boot and Mandy Brocklehurst were both sorted into Ravenclaw. The first Gryffindor to be sorted that year was Lavender Brown. After her, Millicent Bulstrode, Vincent Crabbe, and Tracey Davis were placed in Slytherin. Justin Finch-Fletchley was a Hufflepuff and Seamus Finnigan was a Gryffindor.

She almost started when Professor McGonagall called out, "Forstrom, Sylvi!" As calmly as she could, she walked over to the stool, sat down, and placed the hat on her head. For a moment, nothing happened until someone spoke _in her head_.

" _Ohh, a Forstrom! Not just any Forstrom either, but a Seer. I met Ophelia, you know. Quite a brilliant girl."_

How did it know that?

" _I can see everything inside your head, dear girl. Don't you worry, your secret is safe with me."_

Was this what Legilimency was like?

" _Inquisitive, are we? This is a bit like Legilimency if only it's because I can see into your head."_

That was interesting. Was it a spell or an enchantment? Or was the hat always like that? How long had the hat been there? Had the Founders made it? What sort of enchantments would that include? Were there any other objects like it?

" _Ha ha, you are as bright as both of your grandmothers. Anette was in Ravenclaw… yes, I remember. You would do well in Ravenclaw."_ The hat seemed to pause. _"Then again, you would do exceedingly well in Slytherin. Quite ambitious, with no lack for cunning and determination. Yes, with your plans… Slytherin would suit you quite well, Sylvi Forstrom. I wish you the best of luck, Seer. You will need it."_

The hat shouted out, "SLYTHERIN!" Professor McGonagall plucked it off her head, and she hopped off the stool. The Slytherin table clapped, and only a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were clapping as well. The Gryffindor table stayed silent, but she expected as much. The Slytherin-Gryffindor rivalry had been going on for hundreds of years and was likely to stay that way.

On her way to the Slytherin table, she noticed the generic Hogwarts patch on her robes turned green, and formed into the Slytherin crest. She wondered how they did that as she sat next to Tracey, who smiled at her and then turned to watch the Sorting.

She was surprised to watch Hermione Granger Sorted into Gryffindor. She thought that girl was a Ravenclaw, for sure. Daphne Greengrass and Gregory Goyle were sorted into Slytherin, followed by Neville Longbottom, who was sorted into Gryffindor. Morag MacDougal was sorted into Ravenclaw, and then Draco Malfoy was up next.

She watched with interest as the hat barely touched his head, and shouted out "SLYTHERIN!" He hopped off the stool, looking smug, and made his way to the Slytherin table. He sat across from her and smiled at her, to which she nodded. A nondescript girl named Lily Moon had just been sorted into Hufflepuff. Theodore Nott and Pansy Parkinson were sorted into Slytherin.

Parvati Patil was a Gryffindor, yet Padma Patil was a Ravenclaw. It wasn't often that twins were sorted into different houses. Sally-Anne Perkins was a Hufflepuff and then the entire Great Hall was silent when Professor McGonagall called out, "Potter, Harry!"

The boy sat on the stool, and the hat almost fell down across his face. He looked nervous and pale, and for the first time she realized that he was a bit thin. Who was he staying with? She didn't believe it was actually public knowledge, but she resolved to have him tell her.

The hat and boy were silent for several minutes and people started whispering. Finally, after almost five minutes, the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" Gryffindor table erupted in applause, and several people stood, whooping, as Harry walked and sat down at the table.

"We got Potter!" She wanted to roll her eyes at two boys -twins by the looks of it- who were yelling out. After a minute or two, they settled down, allowing the next boy -Dean Thomas- to be sorted in Gryffindor. Lisa Turpin became a Ravenclaw, and then Ronald Weasley was called up to the stool. She didn't need a Sorting Hat to know he would be Sorted into Gryffindor - Weasleys were almost always Gryffindors. And finally, the last person to be Sorted was Blaise Zabini, who went to Slytherin.

After he had sat down at the Slytherin table, a smiling Albus Dumbledore got to his feet, spreading his arms wide. "Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we are to begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" He said back down, and people clapped and cheered for him. Those were certainly some odd choice words. She wondered if Albus Dumbledore was a bit mad.

Then again, as she thought of the words more, they seemed to make sense. Nitwit was probably what Ravenclaws thought of those outside their house, blubber was most likely what Gryffindor thought - most of them were very athletic and courageous -, oddment was most likely what Slytherin thought, as an oddment was the remainder from a bolt of cloth, something that wasn't enough to make anything of significance. Those in Hufflepuff house were a combination of characteristics, not having any dominant traits perse, and so they probably thought some people's personalities needed to be "tweaked" or refined.

It was a brilliant display of words, and she doubted many actually caught the meaning. Maybe a few over in Ravenclaw, but that's it.

With a small sigh, she turned to her table, where piles and piles of food had appeared. Potatoes, roast beef and chicken, pudding, any vegetable she could think of, bacon and sausages, ten different kinds of casseroles, and just so much more food. She remembered reading something about Hogwarts employing a large team of house-elves, which was probably why there was so much food, and how it appeared so quickly. She put some potatoes, chicken, and vegetables on her plate and began eating.

"I told you I'd be in Slytherin." A voice said, interrupting her thoughts. She looked up into the grey eyes of Draco Malfoy.

She chewed her food, swallowed, and then said, "So you did."

"The hat seemed to take it's time Sorting you. Took almost nearly as long as Potter." There was a bit of animosity when he voiced the name of the Boy Who Lived. She wondered if they had met. If so, it hadn't been a very good meeting by the sound of his voice.

"Yes, well, it was deliberating on whether or not to put me in Ravenclaw." She smiled at him. "I did say that it would most likely be a toss-up between Ravenclaw and Slytherin."

His eyes narrowed. "Why did it put you in Slytherin?"

"Apparently I am more like my great-grandmother than I thought. Grandmother Ophelia is said to have been a very clever woman. It's a pity I never got a chance to meet her; father says that we would have gotten along quite well. Sadly, Dragon Pox is an unforgivable disease to the elderly."

He made a face. "My grandfather had Dragon Pox." She nodded solemnly, showing her sympathy.

Tracey Davis turned to her. "Are you really the daughter of Alexander Forstrom?" Daphne, Pansy, and Millicent were listening in as well. Draco started talking to Theo and Blaise about Quidditch.

"I am." Daphne and Pansy both squealed.

"We're sorry, it's just, your father has been on the cover of Witch Weekly and he is very handsome!" Pansy said.

"And rich!" Daphne added, laughing. Sylvi's eyebrows shot up into her hairline. She'd never really thought about her father's attractiveness but she supposed that he had some definable looks.

"You look so very much like your father, too!" Pansy gave her a knowing smile.

"Of course. Very few inside our family have different features. The Forstroms have always been known for black hair and green eyes, just the same as the Malfoy family has always been known for their blond hair and grey eyes." Draco's eyes flitted to her for a second at the mention of his family, but returned to the two boys after discerning that she was not speaking ill of him.

"I wish I had your hair," Daphne said, sighing as she tugged on her own white-blonde hair.

"There's nothing wrong with blonde hair, Daph." Tracey smiled at the other girl. "At least it's not brown." For emphasis, she flipped her brown hair. Millicent tugged on a brown lock of her own, smiling shyly. They continued to talk about hair, as well as what they did that summer and their hopes for this year.

The food gave way to dessert. There were blocks of ice cream in every flavor one could imagine, chocolate bars, pies, treacle tarts, strawberries, Jell-O, pudding, cookies, and cake in any flavor you could think of. Sylvi helped herself to the strawberries, and some chocolate ice cream and treacle tart. They also had crème brulee, which she had several helpings of as it was her favorite dessert.

Finally, all of the dessert disappeared, and Dumbledore stood up again. Everyone stopped talking, letting the Headmaster speak.

"There are a few start-of-term notices I would like to announce. First years should know that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students. Our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that no magic is allowed in the corridors outside of class." A few of the Slytherin sniffed at that. "Also, Quidditch tryouts will be in the second week of term. Contact Madam Hooch if you are interested. "

A woman with short, grey hair and oddly colored eyes stood, nodded to the student body, and sat back down.

"Finally. I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to anyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." What in Merlin's name could be up there, then? Had some part of the castle been damaged somehow?

"Now, before we are all off to bed, let us sing the school song!" School song? The Headmaster flicked his wand, and a gold ribbon flew from it, and twisted itself into words above the tables. "Everyone pick their favorite tune and off we go!"

The student body started to sing. Sylvi felt painfully awkward, and so just sat there, watching other people sing.

" _Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,  
_ _Teach us something please,  
_ _Whether we be old and bald  
_ _Or young with scabby knees,  
_ _Our heads could do with filling  
_ _With some interesting stuff,  
_ _For now they're bare and full of air,  
_ _Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
_ _So teach us things worth knowing,  
_ _Bring back what we've forgot,  
_ _Just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
_ _And learn until our brains all rot."_

Everyone ended at different times until finally, the only people left singing were the two red-headed boys in Gryffindor. They sung at a slow pace, and finished several minutes later.

"My, that was wonderful! Music is such good food for the soul! Now, off you all go to bed!"

There was a commotion as people for up and left their tables. Two someone's who wore prefect badges stood up at the Slytherin table, a blonde girl and a dark haired boy.

"Alright, you lot," the dark haired boy said, "if you would follow this lovely lady right here, she will lead you to the Slytherin common room."

"Come along, kiddos," the girl said, motioning for them to follow her. She led them to a staircase and down, down, down they went. The air became chillier and several students rubbed their hands together, trying to create some warmth.

Finally, the staircase led off into a large hallway. They took several twists and turns through corridors until finally, they reached one that had a large stretch of bare wall at the end. The prefect girl led them right up to it, and then she turned around. "This is the way to the Slytherin common room. Remember it, and keep it secret. There are very few outside of our house who know where the location is and we would like to keep it that way. The password changes once a year, every year after the Christmas holidays, but do try to remember it and for Merlin's sake, don't write it down." She turned around and spoke to the wall, "Auribus teneo lupum." _I hold a wolf by the ears._ It was generally used to describe a situation in which doing nothing and doing something to resolve it were equally risky. An odd choice for a password.

A stone door that had been concealed in the wall slid open, and she marched them through it. Sylvi looked around, slightly in awe at the beauty of the common room. It was almost all stone, with deep set windows looking out into the lake. The windows had plush looking window seats, with bookshelves next to them filled with books. She could hear swishing water as well.

Greenish lamps hung from the ceiling, and stood from the floor. Several round tables sat in the common room, with chairs and couches also scattered about. A massive fireplace with an intricately carved mantle was at the end, with the Slytherin crest sitting above it.

The prefect led them to the area with the fireplace, and along the hall, she could see stairs, and then doors on the right and left. There were seven on each wall, making a total of fourteen.

"Right. Boy's dormitories on the left, girl's dormitories on the right. You are separated by year, so first years are with first years, second years with second years, and so on." The blonde girl motioned as she explained, pointing to the doors.

"My name is Annabeth, by the way, and this is Anthony. We are the seventh year prefects, but there are sixth and fifth year prefects as well. Adrian and Celeste are your sixth year prefects." At the mention of their names, two students strode forward. Adrian had brown hair, brown eyes, and equally brown skin, whereas Celeste was pale and blonde, with silvery grey eyes.

"This here is Vera and Fergus, the fifth year prefects." A girl with dark red hair strode forward with a boy with black hair. "We are who you go to if you need help, have a question, or just need to talk to someone. However, certain things are for different prefects. If it's something extremely important - life or death, harassment, etcetera, etcetera, come to either me or Anthony."

"That being said, you can still approach either one of us for the previously stated reasons." Anthony smiled at the first years. Annabeth nodded. "I'm sure old McGonagall told you that your house is like your family, and for this house at least, we are. And as with every family, there comes a time when siblings squabble. Any and all hard feelings towards each other is to be dealt with behind the common room doors."

"Because of the house you were Sorted into, you will be subject to specific behaviors. To basically everyone outside Slytherin, we are the evil snakes. You may find that you will be the first to be looked at when something goes wrong and know that almost all of the teachers favor Gryffindor house." Annabeth spoke again, her hands behind her back.

"Exactly." Anthony stepped forward. "So to everyone outside our house, we must be seen as a united front. I don't care if your greatest enemy is another Slytherin, outside this common room, we protect our own. That means that if someone from our house you don't particularly care for is being harassed, you are to stand up for them." He sternly looked around the room and then took a step back.

"There is one teacher whom you can go to with any problem and receive an unbiased answer, and that is Professor Snape. He is our Head of House, and most importantly, another Slytherin. However, you will find that he does not suffer fools, so please make sure not to make one out of yourself." Annabeth looked in particular to the first year boys, who had been whispering amongst themselves until now. "If you were paying attention during our walk down here, you would have noticed that Professor Snape's office and quarters are down the hall. He is usually in there when not teaching, but do make it a point to not bother him too much. If it is not highly important, you're bothering him. It's best to just go to a prefect unless otherwise told so." Sylvi did indeed remember seeing a door with a golden plaque on the stone wall next to it. That must have been Professor Snape's office.

"Now, onto the matter of rules. Getting caught breaking the rules will cost house points, and maybe a detention or two for you. We prefects are not afraid to take away points or issue detentions even to our own house." She noticed that Annabeth said getting caught rather than just breaking the rules. They understood that the Slytherins were going to break rules, and only asked that they not get caught doing so.

"Boys are not allowed in the girl's dormitories, but girls are allowed in the boy's. Do not attempt going to the girl's dormitories if you are a boy; you'll only get laughed at as the stairs turn into a ramp. Girls, I encourage you to laugh at any boy who tries."

"The only exception is in a situation where someone needs help. The school will recognize that need and will allow it." Annabeth nodded at Anthony, thanking him.

"The common room is open to everyone, but we ask that you be quiet before 7 o'clock in the morning and after 10 o'clock in the evening so that those of us who are in bed can sleep uninterrupted. The exceptions are on the weekends, where it is 10 o'clock and midnight."

Anthony grinned. "Woe to any man who wakes a lady up too early or keeps her from sleeping." Annabeth narrowed her eyes at him, but the corners of her mouth tilted up.

"Alright!" Annabeth clapped her hands. That's it for tonight. If you have any questions, please save them until tomorrow. I'm exhausted and would like to get some sleep."

"Your schedules will be handed to you by Professor Snape tomorrow during breakfast. If you are unsure of where to go, either for breakfast or your first class, please ask one if us. We would rather you not wander the castle and be late on your first day of class." Anthony spoke over the sound of shuffling feet and people talking, but they heard him loud and clear.

Sylvi and the rest of the Slytherin first year girls walked up the stairs on the right and through a door, letting it close behind them. The room was a rectangle, with large canopy beds against the walls. Three were against the far wall, and two were against the wall with the door. Next to each bed was a hollowed out section of the stone with a rod going through it, with empty hangars hooked to it. Two windows that framed the bed in the middle looked outside into the lake, and a fire pit with some sort of magical fire stood in the center of the room. All of their trunks and animals were sitting next to the fire pit.

This was actually a critical moment, and would be slightly hazardous had another female with the amount of power she had also been in the group. As it stood, Millicent, Pansy, Tracey, and Daphne waited for Sylvi to walk to the center, pick up her things, and bring them to the bed in the center, the one framed by the windows. Pansy and Daphne took the beds beside her's, and Tracey and Millicent took the ones against the other wall.

The bed in the middle was, essentially, surrounded by the others, and in a position of power. The way they had fawned over her during the welcoming feast was not just something that girls did - it was their way of showing her that they knew -and wanted- her to be the power center in their group. Almost every pureblood clique had one, whether they were male or female. She expected the first year boys to have made a decision as well - mostly likely Draco. Vincent and Gregory certainly did not have the influence or cunning - they were followers only. Theo and Blaise would have made adequate contenders, but they didn't seem all too interested in it during dinner. So, Draco was the obvious choice.

The girls unpacked, commenting here and there on each other's clothes. Sylvi let Nadia out of her cage, and read a note that said that Boudicca had been taken up to the owlry, and that she would be staying there, but that Sylvi could visit anytime she wanted. She noticed that the other girls all had cats as well, kittens by the looks of it. Millicent had a small, grey cat that was kind of timid, but once you crooned to it a few times, it came right up to you. Tracey had a calico, Daphne had a white kitten, and Pansy had a fluffy black cat.

They introduced them all once they had put away their clothes and books, and Sylvi was relieved to know that they all got along. She had read somewhere that sometimes animals, especially cats, didn't get along, for whatever reason. After playing with the cats for a little bit, the girls turned out the lights and got into bed.

Overall, Sylvi felt like this was a successful day. She had gone through the day without a vision, so that was a good thing. Her friendship with the other Slytherin girls was promising. She did worry about her being in Slytherin, however. It would make it difficult to gain Harry's trust now, and he seemed quite chummy with that Weasley boy. Weasleys had never gotten along with Slytherins - she didn't think there had ever been a Weasley Sorted into Slytherin. But… the Weasleys were a good sort, and maybe with her background (her family had never been very predictable with the Sorting and half of her family had gone to Durmstrang), they'd be willing to come to some sort of an agreement.

She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, trying to squash down the nerves that threatened to overtake her. What if she didn't do well? What if she'd been Sorted wrong? What would happen if she did horrible? What would they do to her if that happened? Expel her?

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself and instead of thinking about what if's, she focused on the sound of her dorm mate's breathing. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the sound of the swishing water of the lake lulled her into a deep sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

The first day of classes was relatively easy. She had Herbology at 8, Charms at 11, and then Transfiguration at 2. Herbology was interesting, but playing in the dirt was only so much fun, and generally something that she had outgrown years ago. She liked Charms, and knew she would like it even more as time went on. They had started working on theory, as well as practicing wand movements, but no spells yet. She resolved to practice them when she had time.

Now, Transfiguration, _that_ was fun. The art of turning an object into something else was fascinating, and she enjoyed Professor McGonagall's teaching. A Gryffindor, but one who did not let that affect her attitude towards those of other houses. She gave points to everyone (or took them away), and was firm, yet Sylvi knew that there was a softness to her. She knew she was going to like Professor McGonagall.

She was in the library now, doing some research for a charms paper on the theory of magic. She had already read _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1,_ but it only had so much information. We wanted a more thorough understanding, even if she did not put it into her paper. She had found a book, conveniently titled _The Theory of Magic,_ and had been reading it for the past thirty minutes, and taking notes every now and then.

"Excuse me." She looked up into a face framed by bushy brown hair, and raised a brow. It was that Hermione girl from the train. "Are you reading that for the Charms essay?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Oh." A few moments of silence and then, "Would it be at all possible if I could have it when you were done?"

"Here." She closed the book and held it out to the bushy-haired Gryffindor.

"Oh, no! I meant when you were finished," Hermione said loudly, bringing her hands up. Sylvi looked around for Madam Pince, the librarian. The woman had a reputation and did not like it when children - or anyone, really - were loud in the library.

Sylvi shrugged, "I got what I needed and I can order a copy if I wanted to read it all the way through. If you want to compare some notes after, I have some here."

"Really?" Hermione smiled. "Thank you - I would like to do that."

"Also, a word of advice. Don't be so loud in the library, it's best to whisper or lower your voice. Madam Pince is said to have a mean temper when it comes to her library."

Hermione had the decency to blush. "Sorry." Why was she sorry? She wasn't caught and she certainly wasn't Madam Pince. "Can I sit here?"

She nodded, "Yes. I have some Transfiguration homework to do, so I can do that while I wait for you to take some notes." Hermione's smile grew wider and she quickly took a seat across the table. A few moments of shuffling paper, and then she settled down with the book, occasionally scribbling something with her quill. Sylvi brought out her Transfiguration homework, and set about doing it. Then, the only sounds were the turning of pages and the scratching of quills as the two girls worked in silence.

Sylvi felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. Even though the Slytherin girls weren't very studious, this Gryffindor was. Perhaps they could be friends.

"It was a good thing you were not caught, Draco. Must I remind you that we Slytherins are not at all anyone's favorite?" Sylvi was , of course, referring to Draco's wand work concerning the tripping of Neville Longbottom. She carefully cut her chicken into small bits before taking a bite.

Draco, who had taken to sitting next to her during the meals, rolled his eyes. "Of course I didn't get caught. I grew up with Lucius Malfoy for a father - he taught me all I know."

"So I've noticed," she said dryly. He only boasted about it three or four times a day. She had chastised him about that as well. Proclaiming to all and sundry who your parents were when everyone already knew was extremely distasteful. She watched him greedily bite into a leg of chicken with a curl of her lip. "Must you eat like that? Surely your parents taught you differently."

"I don't see them around, do you?" Draco shrugged, and then, without taking his eyes from her, deliberately bit into the chicken, getting grease on his chin. She pursed her lips, and took a small drink of her pumpkin juice to bite back a scathing remark. Boys needed patience from girls, otherwise they would never learn. "And anyway, why are you nattering me?"

"Because, Draco, we come from important families - families that need to set a certain example. I am sure your mother would be disappointed were she to witness your behavior now, in public, much less in front of a lady." She watched with a certain kind of satisfaction as he put down his chicken leg and cleaned his hands with a napkin, a slight tinge to his cheeks. Her mother had been right - bring up a boy's mother, and he would suddenly do whatever she wanted. She had been warned, however, not to do it too often, or he might catch on. He picked up his knife and fork and began cutting it. At least he _was_ teachable. Perhaps she could do something about that nasty attitude as well.

"What do you think, Sylvi?" Tracey asked from across the table.

She raised a brow, "I'm sorry, I was speaking with Draco. What were you saying?"

"We were talking about Transfiguration. Or well, about McGonagall. She's a strict one, isn't she?" Tracey asked.

"I quite like her." At the girls' shocked glances, she shrugged minutely. "You've noticed that she does not unfairly take or give points, yes? She may be a bit severe, but she is a good teacher."

"I guess so," Millicent mumbled, averting her eyes. She would have to do something about her shyness. Millicent was a pretty girl - built stockier than most, but that wasn't a bad thing. Sylvi did not know where her shyness came from. These girls were her friends, and she was learning that she liked to do things for her friends. Building up Millicent's confidence would be a sort of gift.

Daphne changed the topic of discussion to hair products, of course. Out of all of them, Daphne was the one who was the most interested in the physical beauty of life. Sylvi smiled, and participated when needed, but otherwise kept eating. So far, her first year at Hogwarts was going well.

* * *

Saturday morning found Sylvi in the library again, reading about visions, her homework having been finished about half an hour earlier. This week had certainly been something. Wednesday has seen them learning to fly. Sylvi's school-issued broom had flown up into her hand almost immediately, but she had had trouble keeping the images of previous students at bay. It had been the first vision since coming to Hogwarts, and she supposed she had been overdue, but it was still a bit of a strain. This book, _The Young Seer,_ claimed to have certain exercises one could do to help learn the mental fortitude to block visions. So far, it was all a bunch of breathing and clearing your mind, something that she had already been doing.

The book said that it would take, at best, a few months before the exercises actually started working, and that was with daily practice. Determined to have some control over her ability, she resolved to wake up early every day and do her meditations.

In any case, Wednesday has also seen Neville Longbottom breaking his wrist - he certainly had terrible luck - and a sort of fight between Draco and Harry Potter. Draco had picked up Neville's Remembral, which the poor boy had dropped, and had started taunting the Gryffindors with it. Of course, since Gryffindors are extremely easy to bait, it worked. Potter had stepped up, and the two of them had flown into the air, with Draco throwing the bauble and Potter going after it. Draco had then landed on the ground and watched with a smug smirk on his face while Professor McGonagall had come outside and retrieved Potter as soon as he had landed.

However, rumor had it that Potter was not expelled as some had thought. He was, apparently, the Gryffindor's new Seeker. She could only roll her eyes at the blatant nepotism - if a Slytherin had done that, they'd have been gone in an instant.

Then, on Friday, the Double Potions class with the Gryffindors had happened. Professor Snape had almost immediately started in on Potter. That wasn't much of a surprise. Professor Snape was rumored to absolutely hate Gryffindors, but it seemed as though he had a particular dislike of Potter. She could only imagine why. Hermione had definitely embarrassed herself by waving her hand in the air. Sylvi knew the girl knew the answers, but dear Merlin, didn't she know that it was better to just _do_ better than everyone else instead of proclaiming it to the world?

Professor Snape had paired her up with Draco to brew a boil cure, which didn't bother her. What did bother her was that he just hung back while she did the work. She had bristled when Professor Snape had come by and pronounced to the class about the perfect way that Draco had stewed his horned slugs. _She_ had done that. Right after Professor Snape had said that, however, poor Neville had somehow melted his partner's cauldron, and it collapsed, getting the liquid all over himself. Boils had sprung up everywhere that the potion had touched, and Professor Snape sent his partner -Seamus Finnigan- to take him to the hospital wing.

But she had managed to make an adequate boil cure, and had definitely given Draco a talking to after class. The boy had looked properly ashamed, but she was unsure if he would actually help next time or if he would continue riding on her success.

Sylvi was brought out of her musings as someone plopped down into the chair across from her. Hermione Granger looked a bit winded, her face flushed and her hair wild as she dug in her bag for books and paper. While she was distracted, Sylvi, put away _The Young Seer_ and brought out her own notes. They had been meeting every so often in the library to compare notes ever since Monday.

"Good morning, Sylvi," Hermione said as she settled.

"Good morning," she nodded her head. "There's usually not many people up this early on a Saturday."

"Yes well, I prefer to get my homework done early, unlike _some._ " The bushy-haired girl got a glint in her eye, which made Sylvi think that she was thinking of someone in particular. "As it stands, I only need to finish this Defense Against the Dark Arts essay that Professor Quirrell gave us."

"The one on simple protection spells? I have my notes on it here, if you would like to -" She had no sooner brought them out of her bag then Hermione had snatched them and immediately began looking through them. Sylvi lifted a brow, and couldn't help but smile at the girl. "You know, it's polite to wait until someone is finished before grabbing their things." She'd said it in a way that was light and teasing.

"Sorry," Hermione blushed, meeting her eyes before glancing back down at Sylvi's notes. Then she made a noise, and began copying down a few words. "I hadn't thought of that before!" She said before going back to her reading.

They stayed that way for a while, until Hermione was finally done. She gave the notes back and smiled. "Thank you. You're the only person I've met who actually wants to study, _and_ share notes with me." There was a bit of hurt behind her brown eyes, but she smiled nonetheless.

Sylvi nodded. "It's really no problem. I -."

"Hermione! Neville was having -" A red-headed boy walked up to their table, but stopped short when he saw Sylvi. "What are you doing here? Is she bothering you, Hermione?"

"No, Ronald." Hermione's lips thinned. "We were actually comparing notes for the -"

"But she's a dirty snake! She's probably just cheating off of you!"

"I would _never!_ " she said, feeling very insulted. The mere _thought_ rankled her.

"Just leave her alone, Ronald. She was doing nothing wrong."

"Ronald" ignored her. "I know you were just trying to be friendly, Hermione, but you can't just let snakes around you. Slytherins are all evil, anyway."

At that, Sylvi raised a brow, her voice cold. "Need I remind you that Merlin himself was a Slytherin?" She was _not_ evil.

"Well, I - you -" His face turned red.

Hermione huffed. "What did Neville want, Ron?"

"Neville was having trouble with his potions homework and wanted to ask for your help. He's in the Common Room." He said, glaring at Sylvi.

"I'm sorry, we'll have to get together again sometime." Hermione gave her an apologetic look. "It's just that, well, Neville probably does need some help." She started packing up her things in her bag.

"It's quite alright." She let her voice warm a few degrees, and smiled at the bushy-haired Gryffindor.

"See you around." Hermione stood and started walking away.

Ron glared at her again. "You just leave her alone." Her face set, and she just stared at him impassively until he left. That was not how she wanted that to go, but… she sighed. At least Hermione liked her. She wasn't sure about Potter - Harry -, but he seemed to like her well enough from when they had spoken last, before the Sorting.

She packed up her things and made her way to the dungeons, her mind on homework and judgmental Weasleys. When she stepped through the wall, hearing it close up behind her, she saw Draco sitting in one of the chairs. Deciding to ignore him, she dropped her bag beside one of the couches, and unceremoniously flopped herself onto it. She heard him laugh softly.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes before he spoke. "I would like to apologize for my behavior in Potions on Friday." It was unexpected, and she looked at him, a brow raised. Malfoys rarely, if ever, apologized. "It was ungentlemanly and it will not happen again." She wondered if somehow his mother had found out about the incident, but who would have told? "And before you ask, no one put me up to this."

Either he was lying, or he really was sincere. Perhaps she had gotten through to him. Perhaps he had suddenly remembered how he had been raised. "Apology accepted." She watched him breathe a sigh of relief with a curious glance. What was he thinking? She was about to ask him about his sudden change in attitude when Crabbe and Goyle walking into the Common Room, their arms full of sweets. Draco's face - which had been so open just before, morphed into an arrogant mask with a smirk. He began talking to the boys about their eating habits, saying little mean things that weren't actually mean (at least to a Slytherin).

She sighed and shook her head. She had been able to change his attitude towards her, at least. How long that would last, she didn't know. She hoped it was permanent, and she hoped that she could influence his behavior more. Not only because he would be a powerful ally when they were older (pure Slytherin reasons of influencing him), but because she did like him - when he wasn't being a prat.

That night she dreamed of Professor Quirrell, who was talking to someone she could not see. But then she heard that cold, high laugh that she had heard when she had bumped into Potter at Diagon Alley. She knew it had been no ordinary dream, but some sort of warning. She woke up the next morning feeling confused and a little concerned, and resolved to watch the defense teacher, to find any odd behavior.


	6. Chapter 6

September flew by before Sylvi knew it, and it was almost Halloween. She and Hermione were neck in neck with grades, but oddly enough, the two girls did not feel any competitiveness, although Hermione was a bit more… loud with her tenacity. Draco was just behind them in terms of academic achievement, and he had started trying harder to apply himself in class - especially if Sylvi was paired with him. It seemed as though she had gotten through to some part of him. He had certainly toned down the arrogance, at least.

Blaise and Theo were good influences on him. She could not - would not - say the same for Crabbe and Goyle. Those two boys did not have any sort of intelligence and their best position would be as a pair of guardians - or rather, as they were now, brutes. They had their uses, she supposed. The other two boys, however, were smart. Blaise was smart, but didn't apply himself - he didn't really want to and was happy with it. He came from a family much like hers - they had even been neutral in the last Wizarding War. Theo, however, came from a family much like Draco's, if not worse. His mother had died when he was younger, and his father, from what she could tell, had turned into a cruel man. He rarely spoke of home.

In any case, Blaise and Theo's influence on Draco grew, and she tried to encourage it. Anything to get him away from Crabbe and Goyle.

She and Hermione had continued meeting in the library, and they hadn't been bothered by Weasley since then. The two girls had become good friends. While she had her Slytherin girls, it was nice to have someone actually interested in academics - and one who understood them. The girls in Slytherin were average students, but were much more interested in their physical appearance and social politics. While the girls had unanimously elected her as their power center - and went to her with problems and the like - they were independent, and that was fine with her.

After that mishap in Potions with Neville, she had immediately sent an order for several pairs of dragon skin boots. They were rather pretty, obviously made with a woman in mind, but durable. She had taken to wearing them around, instead of the usual shoes that students wore. Professor Snape had noticed the next time she had Potions, and had nodded his approval.

Her meditations started making a difference. She was able to have visions of things when she touched them, but not be as distracted by it. Her goal was not to block them completely, but be able to function properly while it happened. At this rate, she was sure that she would be able to start Occlumency next year. She didn't dare think about starting Legilimency until she had mastered Occlumency. One step at a time, she reminded herself.

Draco had started talking to her more. He had already been sitting next to her at meals, but now she could expect him to step up to her in the halls, making conversation. She was unsure if he had a hidden motive, or if he just wanted to make friends with her. They both came from powerful families, so it was expected that he and she would be at least acquaintances. She knew Daphne and the others liked to gossip about him, Theo and Blaise, and it was no surprise - they were attractive boys.

Sylvi sighed as she hoisted her bag over her shoulder, finally dressed for the day. The other girls were still asleep, buried under piles of blankets. The nights had gotten colder, and being in the dungeons, many Slytherins had sent home for extra blankets. Growing up in the Scottish Highlands as she had, she wasn't as susceptible to the cold, but it was still pretty chilly.

Nadia hopped up on her newly made bed, and burrowed underneath the covers, which made her smile. Her kitten had grown a bit, and she knew that Nadia would be a very large cat. She grabbed a book from her bedside table and left the dorm, heading out of the Common Room and down to the Great Hall. Not a lot of people were up at this hour, but she knew that she could expect to see Professor Snape. The potions master seemed to rise early, but he definitely was not a morning person by the look on his face every morning. She liked him. She knew that he had to show favoritism to the Slytherins, but he was a good teacher anyway. He seemed to have a hard time with being patient, and his already caustic personality made his anger cut like a knife. He did _not_ like people who didn't understand potions. Thank Merlin it came naturally to her.

Since she was up so early, the breakfast meal wasn't on the tables yet. A house elf soon made itself known to her and she made her order, which then appeared on the table a few minutes later. She read her book, _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_ between bites. She had already read the book once, but it was good to go through it at the pace that the class was, just to refresh herself.

Someone plopped down next to her, but she knew from the scent that it was Draco. Draco, like Professor Snape, was not a morning person, so she let him order his breakfast and get a little bit of food in him before speaking to him.

"Good morning," she said, nodding to him.

"Morning." His voice was still groggy from sleep, and a bit gruff. They sat in silence after that, finishing their meal. "Why do you wake up so early?"

The question surprised her, and she looked up from her book. "I like mornings. Especially if I am outside. Everything is still a bit chilly from the night before, the sun is just starting to come up, and it's always just a touch cloudy and foggy. I do like taking walks in the mornings."

He scowled. "Maybe you should sleep in once in a while."

She raised a brow at him. "And why would I do that?" Honestly, why was he trying to pick a fight with her?

"Maybe then I could actually sleep in."

"You are blaming me for your getting up early?" That was… well, she wasn't just going to sit around and let him treat her like that. She closed her book and stood from the table.

"Where're you going?"

"Away from you. When you learn some manners, come to me and apologize." She walked away from him, feeling irritated. It certainly wasn't _her_ fault that he woke up! He was the one who decided he was going to wake up at around the same time as her, for whatever reason. She gave a small huff. Boys.

* * *

Several days passed and she had done her best to avoid Draco, and he had stayed away. She was unsure of his attitude but knew that something had happened. It could have been his father - Lucius Malfoy was ever the politician and always looking for new alliances. Draco making friends with her - even marrying her later in life, would not only be beneficial for both families, but would create a powerful alliance. She and Draco as a married pair, with their combined monetary and political clout, would be nigh impossible to stop.

She had spoken to Hermione about it and the girl had suggested that Draco had merely been in a bad mood. Hermione didn't particularly _like_ Draco, but knew that Sylvi was at least on civil terms with him. Unfortunately, that was Gryffindor thinking through and through. She had a sneaking suspicion that it was because of Draco's father. It wasn't a bad thing, per se… all pureblood families were always on the lookout for new alliances. Since her parents had gone to Durmstrang, and the Malfoys had attended Hogwarts, the two families were acquaintances at best.

Sylvi didn't mind it, if that were the reason. She did like Draco, and if she were to ever think of a marital alliance, he more than met all of the qualifications. But she didn't need to think about marriages and alliances now. Not until fourth year, at least.

She shook her head, not wanting to think about that now. She was eleven! Attempting to clear her head, she started heading down towards the dungeons. Today was Halloween, and there was supposed to be a grand feast, but first she needed to drop off her things.

Dinner was loud, but filling. When she looked over at the Gryffindor table, she didn't see Hermione, and that gave her a bad feeling. She had been on edge all day, like something was supposed to happen. She hoped Hermione was okay, but if she left to go find her, her absence would be noted. She kept her face neutral, and ate her food. She would try to find her after the feast.

Draco turned to her, his grey eyes intent on her. "Sylvi, I - "

Just then, the doors to the Great Hall opened, and Professor Quirrell stumbled through them, his turban askew. He reached Professor Dumbledore and then gasped out rather loudly, "Troll in the dungeons! Thought you ought to know." Then he fell to the floor.

Sylvi could only describe the next few moments as pure mayhem. People began screaming. This was not a prank, as far as she could tell. Dumbledore caused several purple firecrackers to explore from the end of his wand, stunning everyone into silence.

"Prefects," he said, "please take your Houses back to their dormitories immediately." Anthony and Annabeth immediately stood, clapping their hands to get their attention.

"You heard the man! Move out!" Anthony said. Dutifully, she started to follow the other Slytherins on the way to the dungeons when something caught her eye. Potter and Weasley were slipping away! Perhaps they knew where Hermione was. Making sure to keep out of sight, she slipped from the line of students and followed them.

She got down a few corridors before she heard a scream and started running. When she reached the source, she saw a twelve-foot mountain troll, Hermione shrinking against the opposite wall, and Potter and Weasley staring at the troll.

"Don't just stand there; do something! Are you Gryffindors or aren't you?" she yelled. They looked back at her, looked at Hermione, and then jumped into action.

"Confuse it" Harry said to Ron.

"I'll be back - I'm going to get a teacher!" she called, turning her heel and running out. Except she didn't see any teachers in sight. She _knew_ where she could find one, though. Allowing her Sight to guide her, she almost literally ran into Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and Professor Quirrell. "Girl's bathroom… Potter, Weasley, and Granger-" she gasped out.

She was able to lead them back to the girl's bathroom, but when they got there the troll was knocked out. The teachers swept into the bathroom, and Sylvi took that chance to look over the three Gryffindors. They looked a little worse for wear, but overall not harmed in any way.

"Five points from Gryffindor for your foolishness, Miss Granger. Five points will also be awarded to each of you for your bravery." The Gryffindor's Head of House was in a bit of shock.

"I believe ten points to Slytherin is in order, as well." Professor Snape looked at Sylvi. "It seems only one of you had the wherewithal to go find a teacher."

"You may go." Professor McGonagall said.

"Not so fast," Professor Snape called to them as they turned to leave. "The events of tonight have shaken my faith in Hogwart's security; I will escort you four to your dormitories." Sylvi noticed the three Gryffindors get pained looks on their faces and knew why. Professor Snape did _not_ like Gryffindors, and had a special hatred for Harry Potter.

The walk to the Gryffindor portrait was silent, and she and Hermione trailed a little bit behind, mainly for Sylvi to ascertain that she was okay.

"Are you okay?" she whispered.

The bushy haired girl nodded. "Yeah. I'm still a little shaken up, but I'll be okay."

"Good. I'm glad." Hermione smiled at her and she smiled back. Then they reached the portrait and the Gryffindors went inside.

"Your friendship with Miss Granger has been noted, Miss Forstrom." Professor Snape observed on their way to the dungeons.

"What is there to say that I'm not just garnering information from her?"

He seemed to consider her for a moment. "Sometimes making the right choice can be difficult, but it is well worth it in the long run."

She smirked. "The two most powerful warriors are patience and time." He was fishing, but she would not tell him anything – not yet. She needed to know more, to know if he could be considered an ally. She was already working on the Slytherin girls, as well as Draco and his boys, but she needed someone who had a bit more influence, and Professor Snape was one such person.

He made a sound that sounded like a chuckle, but did not reply. They walked for a few more minutes in silence. Sylvi figured she could throw him a small bone.

"In any case, my family is neutral. For the moment." There. That was vague enough. She knew Professor Snape's history. About how he was accused of being a Death Eater but Dumbledore vouched for him, so he was able to evade Azkaban. If he was loyal to Dumbledore or to the Dark Lord, he would take it as her stating that she could be persuaded in time. It was a perfectly acceptable answer for someone of a neutral party.

He said nothing after that, said a short good night and left her just outside the Slytherin Common room. Draco was waiting for her when she stepped through the wall. "I saved you some food," he said, showing her a plate of food sitting on a nearby table, and she sat down.

She nodded at him, "Thank you."

It was silent for a few moments as she ate. "I apologize, Sylvi. For my behavior." She could tell he felt uncomfortable.

"It's fine." She wanted to know why, but it would be rude to ask. She kept eating.

"It's just…" he fiddled with his robes. "My father. He wrote to me as soon as he heard that you were Sorted into Slytherin. He wants…"

She nodded. "I know what he wants." Taking a few more bites, she thought and chewed. "Why don't we take our friendship and see where it goes? Ignore any sort of pressure and take things as they come. We can revisit the matter when it comes up between us, not because of others." She knew her parents would want her to choose for herself, but other pureblood families were not as modern in their thinking - the Malfoys, for instance. She wondered if Lucius had approached her father yet.

Draco nodded. "I think I like that idea."

"Then it's settled. You can write to your father and tell him that the matter has been considered and will be discussed more at the right time - that time being sometime in the future and being decided by us." He looked a little shocked so she set down her fork and knife, fixing him with her gaze. "We Forstroms have long made it a tradition to allow our women to decide what we want and we do not force them into betrothals when they are just eleven years old. You may tell him I said this."

He nodded and she resumed eating. She would not buckle under the pressure of Lucius Malfoy, and neither would his son if she had anything to say about it.

* * *

 **A/N:** So hey! I noticed that a few people have favorited and followed my story, and I've even gotten some reviews! I love hearing from you guys. I was wanting to ask what part of the story you like so far. Also, I know the patronus quiz recently came up on Pottermore and it would be awesome to know what everyone got. For those who want to know, I got a Thestral and I have no idea what it means.


	7. Chapter 7

"I do feel so sorry," Draco drawled, "for those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home." He said it to annoy Harry, who was bent over his potion measuring out ingredients. The black-haired boy surprisingly ignored him.

Draco was just jealous, Sylvi knew, that Harry had been able to win the Quidditch game last month, even if his broom had been trying to knock him off. The Slytherin boy had taken to needling the Gryffindor about his family - the Dursleys, she remembered Hermione calling them. They apparently did not like anything to do with magic, including Harry. It usually got a rise out of him, which was why Draco did it, but Harry had been ignoring him lately.

"Draco, please add two drops of flobberworm mucus when I am finished heating the cauldron." She added the two measures of horklump juice, and then heated the cauldron a bit more. Her lips twitched in satisfaction when he did as she asked. Professor Snape had them brewing an Herbicide potion, which she found to be very easy and quite relaxing to do.

She watched as he used the wooden spoon to stir the cauldron four times clockwise. With a flick of her wand, the potion was done. They used a ladle to bottle it up into individual flasks, labeled them, and then set them on Professor Snape's desk, who nodded at them with a small amount of pride in his dark eyes. They were the first to finish their potion, and Sylvi knew that they would receive perfect marks on it.

She saw Hermione staring at her. She resolutely ignored the bushy haired girl, preferring to drag her Potions textbook. Ever since the last Quidditch game, Hermione had been avoiding her. She had even stopped going to the library - the one place that Sylvi was sure Hermione would not avoid. It hurt, to think that the Gryffindor girl would throw away what friendship they had for whatever reason, but Sylvi had a feeling that was about to end.

After class, she meandered down to the dungeons to drop off her bag and then went to the Great Hall for lunch. Boudicca flew in, dropping a small envelope in front of her.

"That's an invitation," Draco said from her side. "Mother and father would like to meet you over the holidays. They sent a letter to your parents first asking permission, otherwise they would not have sent this."

She raised a brow, and opened the envelope, which was lightly floral scented.

 _Miss Forstrom,_

 _With this letter Mr. and Mrs. Lucius Malfoy hereby wish to invite you to an extended stay to celebrate the holiday season. The event will take place at Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire, England on Saturday the 21st of December._

 _We hope you will manage to join us for a night of new beginnings. Please reply with your decision._

 _Mr. and Mrs. Lucius Malfoy_

She raised her eyes to Draco, who looked slightly apprehensive. "Do you have a parchment and quill?" If she was not mistaken, and she rarely was, the 21st would be a new moon, which would definitely give credence to the wording of 'new beginnings' - at least magically. What were they planning?

"Yes," he replied. With a sense of anticipation, she penned her reply.

 _Mr. and Mrs. Lucius Malfoy,_

 _I am pleased to accept your kind invitation for an extended stay on Saturday the 21st of December._

 _Miss Sylvi Forstrom_

Sylvi rolled up the parchment, tied it with a small ribbon, and then attached it to Boudicca's leg. "Give this to Narcissa Malfoy, please." The owl gave her an affectionate rub and then flew off.

"So what was your answer?"

"I accepted, of course." She resumed eating.

"Oh. But I thought you said that we should wait and see if anything happens between us."

She smiled at him. "I would have had to meet your parents sometime, Draco. Do you not wish for me to be there?"

"No. I mean," he sighed, running a hand through his blond hair. "It's just that mother and father can be quite persuasive."

"You are afraid that they will get me to change my mind?" Her smile grew. "Don't. Any decision I make - if I made any - would have to be discussed with at length with my father, and he will not be there. Don't worry, Draco, I'm sure it will be fine." He nodded, looking calmer but not entirely convinced.

* * *

"Word has it that Lord Malfoy approached your father, Sylvi." Pansy whispered conspiratorially with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

She fought the urge to roll her eyes at Pansy's dramatics. "Yes, he did."

"And?" She was practically bouncing in excitement. Her feet definitely had a bounce to them as they walked towards the Slytherin dungeons.

"And nothing," Sylvi replied with an arched brow.

"What?" Pansy stopped, forcing her to stop as well. "Did your parents refuse him?"

"No, Pansy. The Forstrom family is different from other pureblood families. It is one of the reasons why Cantankerous Nott left us out of the Pure-Blood Directory - not to mention because my family is not even British and the book was meant for British pureblood families. We do not betroth our children at an early age, preferring to wait and let them make their own matches." They were stopped right outside Professor Snape's office. Wonderful.

"So you're not betrothed to him yet?"

"No. Something may happen later, when we are older," she said, knowing full well that something most likely _would_ happen. She liked Draco and knew that he liked her, but they were only friends at the moment. The chemistry was there, she knew, but she didn't want to rush anything. Just in case, she told herself. "In any case, they have invited me to stay over the holidays."

"What?" This time it wasn't a surprised gasp but more of a squeal. "Oh, my Circe!"

"Pansy, can we please move to the safety of our dorm room? I don't need the gossip mill flinging my name about." The other pureblood girl had the decency to look embarrassed, and they started walking. Once they were within the confines of their dorm room, Pansy asked for every single detail. It was nice to have a friend like Pansy, who she could talk about boys and gossip with. She could forget some of the pressure she felt, some of the responsibilities and tasks she had ahead of her.

* * *

"Hey, Sylvi," Hermione slid into a chair across from her. Sylvi did not look up from her book, and Hermione sighed. "I know I haven't been around lately, and that I've been kind of ignoring you."

Sylvi looked up, her green eyes narrowing in anger. "Kind of is an understatement. I'm not sure what you want from this relationship, but if it is anything other than a friendship, you can leave. I refuse to waste my time on a one-sided friendship."

Hermione looked down. "It's just… well…"

"You thought I was like some of the people in my House? That I would ridicule you, maybe call you a Mudblood?" She felt angry and insulted - as she should be. She would _never_ call Hermione a mudblood. She had, in fact, been the one to tell the bushy haired Gryffindor about the meaning of the word.

Hermione winced and Sylvi knew her words to be correct. "Perhaps this is the reason why Slytherins and Gryffindors do not mesh well. Gryffindors make assumptions and impulsively act on them before making sure that they were right."

"And Slytherins can be too cold and unforgiving." Hermione snapped at her, folding her arms across her chest.

"May I remind you that you were the one to start ignoring me for no reason? I have a right to be angry, and even if I do not show it in the loud way that you Gryffindors do, it doesn't make it any less important." Hermione looked away. Sylvi took a breath, biting back any hurtful words. She would have to be frank, as Gryffindors apparently did not understand subtlety. "You hurt me. My friend was avoiding me for no reason, and any attempts at communication were rebuffed. You were shunning me without my having done anything."

"I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. Ron _really_ doesn't like you and well… you being so close to Malfoy I guess got to me."

"Draco is in my House. We are of the same social standing. If my parents were not so reclusive, I most likely would have grown up with him. From a logical standpoint, there is no reason why I should shun him. I understand that he can be a bit childish. We are, after all, children. I am not excusing his behavior, however. But consider this. If I had not been there to help… curb his behavior, he would be a lot worse."

"So you've been - what? Following him around, telling him what to do?" Hermione's brows furrowed and Sylvi sighed.

"No. I have simply made him see that his behavior is not befitting of someone of his station."

"And he listens to you?" She leaned closer.

"For the most part." His frequent altercations with Harry and Ron were testament of that. "Hermione, I am going to be friends with people you are not fond of. Not only because I'm a Slytherin, but because I'm a pureblood. I'm _not_ saying you are beneath me in any way." She shot a look at Hermione, who had opened her mouth and narrowed her eyes. "Just know that when I am with them, I am not bad mouthing you, or sharing your secrets, or whatever it is you suspect me of doing. In fact, I am usually diverting the conversations away from you three."

"So you're not… making fun of me?" Sylvi could see that Hermione had been hurt by this before. It was an old hurt, likely from her time before Hogwarts. Children could be cruel, magical or not.

"No, I'm not." She shook her head. "And you will notice that Pansy, Tracey, Daphne, and Millicent no longer bother you." She had had a talk with them about social conduct and how ladies should present themselves in public. The girls had since then stopped their bullying and had, instead, taken to simply ignoring the muggle-born.

"And they listen to you, too?" Merlin, help her. Hogwarts _really_ needed a Wizarding 101 class alongside Muggle Studies. Muggle-borns and even halfbloods could benefit from such a class.

"It's complicated. Purebloods," she stopped short. Not all purebloods acted the same - the Weasleys being a fine example. " _Most_ purebloods", she amended, "act on a hierarchy. Your wealth, influence, and power place you in this hierarchy. There's a general hierarchy, and a more refined one, one that is often in your social circle. In my social circle among the Slytherin girls, I am placed at the top, which gives me a certain influence over them. I can guide their actions, as it were."

"Oh, so it's all really old-fashioned."

"To Muggles, yes. To pureblood society, no. It is the way things are done." Hermione still looked confused.

"So all this time you've actually been trying to help me?"

"Yes. Even so, I'm not going to stop being friends with them just because you don't like them. I do not speak ill of you, have stopped the girls from bullying you and generally keep the topics of conversation away from you. I can do nothing about the heckling of Potter or Weasley, as I really only have influence over Draco." She had been working on that, however. Already, Theo and Blaise had started reigning in their actions a bit. Sylvi did not include Crabbe or Goyle in her plans. She had tried in the beginning, but it was clear that they were set in their path, whatever path that may be. She was sure it wasn't a good one.

"Oh." Hermione bit her lip. "I'm sorry," she said after a few moments of silence.

It wasn't exactly fine; she was still hurt. But she could forgive her. "You are forgiven." Hermione visibly relaxed. Sylvi needed to teach her how to hide her emotions better. Now there was a though. "Hermione… would you like me to teach you?" The girl had certainly been interested several moments ago. Even if it was just pure academic interest, at least Hermione would have the knowledge. Maybe it would come in handy one day. Sylvi knew that part of the reason why purebloods did not like muggle-borns was because they had such a lack of knowledge about pureblood customs. Perhaps if one showed that they had the knowledge and was willing to take part, it would change a few minds. Sylvi certainly hoped so.

"Really?" Hermione's eyes lit up. "You would do that?" When Sylvi nodded, Hermione broke into a smile.

"Thank you!" It was a good thing that they were in a secluded spot in the library, or Madam Pince would have heard her. She seemed to remember where she was and blushed, lowering her voice. "I would love to learn."

Sylvi ran through a list of things to start with and finally settled on how to present oneself. "First off, ladies do not slouch." She noticed Hermione's posture straighten up and smirked.

* * *

 **A/N:** And there you have it! I hope you all enjoyed the newest chapter. I think I've gotten my update schedule down to at least once, if not twice, a month. I do have online classes, so that will always be a priority. I do enjoy writing, however. Thank you all for reading and please let me know how you enjoyed the chapter.


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